Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor, yada, yada, yada...
A Panic Attack (The way the Pros view it): Is a sudden onset of intense fear or apprehension producing up to 14 symptoms in a matter of seconds, often lasting for up to 15 minutes.
The way I see it: You see that hungry grizzly bear over there waiting to eat us all in one painful gulp? No? Must just be me then.
A panic attack is basically when a person has an intense "fight or flight" fear reaction when there is no obvious fear object present. Basically, you're taking a calm hike, on a beautiful day, enjoying life when suddenly you hear a rustle in the bushes and a hungry grizzly come charging at you. 600 lbs of fur is ready to make you an appetizer. You went from loving life to holy sugar in about 2 seconds. Your body will release chemicals, including adrenaline, into your body. Your breathing and heart rate will speed up. Your focus will be completely on the object of your fear (Gordon the Grizzly) so you will no longer hear the wind in the trees or the birds chirping...unless you think you can use the bird as a decoy or a feathered, point-beaked dart to attack your assailant with.
You body will do one of two things so automatically you have no real choice in the matter. It will go through the files in your brain and in miliseconds decide if you have any of the tools or skills to ward off the predator. If you do, you'll suddenly find yourself armed with a slingshot and Bruce Willis gleam in your eye. If you don't have the tools (much more likely) you'll run like Forrest Gump until colapse.
People with panic attacks have all those chemicals and reactions..for no apparant reason. The only thing we can do is assume we're dying. We have nothing to fear but our heads so we attack our own bodies by becoming hyper-aware of every heartbeat and breath. Without swift intervention in the way of distraction or medication, we become impossible to reason with. It becomes like talking to a child who is petrified of their closet. No well-meaning mama is going to convince them that there isn't a tomato monster lurking behind their church clothes.
Symptoms include:
Rapid breathing (hyperventalation)
Tingling in extremities
Pounding heart
Cold Sweat
Pain or tightness in chest
Tunnel Vision
Derealization (out of body type feeling)
The symptoms can mimic a heart attack and many people who experience them for the first time seek emergency medical attention thinking they are suffering cardiac arrest. If you're like me, you pretty much call them every time...
Please note that no where, in any study, does it say that people who deal with this are somehow nuts, crazy or otherwise insane. There are some predispositions, but basically it can happen to perfectly sane, rational, logical people. So if you or someone you know has one, don't call the men in white suits, it just happens.
People who have them regularly are said to have Panic Disorder. Panic Disorder is punctuated by hyper-alertness, nervousness and anxiety about...having a panic attack. Sounds like it sucks right? It does. Although on the plus side, if ever faced with a Grizzly, my response works so well I could probably have him skinned and cooking over a fire before you can say "run moron".
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